This relates generally to imaging systems, and more particularly, to imaging systems that detect and process information in an environment.
Modern electronic devices such as cellular telephones, cameras, and computers often use digital image sensors. Imagers (i.e., image sensors) often include a two-dimensional array of image sensing pixels. Each pixel typically includes a photosensor such as a photodiode that receives incident photons (light) and converts the photons into electrical signals.
Image sensors may be used to capture light in a given environment. Light that is captured by an image sensor may generate an electrical signal at a pixel. An electrical signal that is generated by a pixel may be used to present information to a user of an electronic device. For example, electrical signals generated by a pixel may be used to generate a digital image. In some suitable scenarios, electrical signals generated by image sensors may be processed and used to capture information regarding the light that is received at the image sensor, such as brightness, wavelength, spatial patterning, temporal patterning, polarization, direction, and other suitable characteristics that may be associated with light. Such light characteristics may be modified by a light-emitting or reflecting source to encode information based on the characteristics of the light.
In a given environment, a user of an electronic device may be presented with information (such as visual stimulation based on light, for example) relating to any number of a variety of different subjects. For example, a user that is riding in or driving an automobile may be presented with billboards, road signs, and messages presented on surrounding vehicles. Much of the information presented to a user in such an environment may not be relevant to a user, may distract the user, or may not relate to topics or information in which the user is interested at a given time.
It would therefore be desirable to provide image sensors that receive and process information in an environment based on user preferences.